Sister Carrie · Chapter
XLVII: The Way of the Beaten: A Harp in the Wind explained
Hurstwood, now destitute and mentally deteriorating, wanders the snowy streets of New York, begging for food and money.
What happens
Hurstwood, now destitute and mentally deteriorating, wanders the snowy streets of New York, begging for food and money. He sees a bright sign advertising Carrie's name and tries to see her at the stage door but is thrown out. Meanwhile, Carrie, now successful and living comfortably at the Waldorf, reads Père Goriot and reflects on her past. Hurstwood eventually decides to end his life, but a chance quarter changes his mind temporarily. The chapter ends with Hurstwood's death and burial in Potter's Field, while Carrie sits alone in her rocking-chair, longing for an unattainable happiness.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Survival
Hurstwood's descent into begging, homelessness, and starvation illustrates the brutal realities of poverty and the struggle for survival in the city.
Materialism and Consumption
The stark contrast between Hurstwood's destitution and the luxurious restaurants, bright signs, and comfortable hotels highlights the materialism of the era.
Love and Illusion
Carrie's past relationships with Drouet and Hurstwood are revealed as illusions that promised happiness but ultimately left her unfulfilled.
Characters to notice
- George Hurstwood
Hurstwood is shown in the depths of poverty and mental decay, wandering the streets, begging, and attempting to see Carrie before being turned away. He ultimately dies and is buried in Potter's Field.
- Caroline Meeber
Carrie is now a successful actress living at the Waldorf, reading Père Goriot and reflecting on her past relationships. She remains unaware of Hurstwood's fate.
- Lola
Lola is present with Carrie in her Waldorf chambers, commenting on the snowy weather.
- Robert Ames
Ames is mentioned as the one who recommended Père Goriot to Carrie, influencing her intellectual growth.
- Charles Drouet
Drouet is briefly noted as having abandoned his claim on Carrie and is seen no more.
Key passages
“He looked up, and then at a large, gilt-framed poster-board, on which was a fine lithograph of Carrie, life-size. Hurstwood gazed at it a moment, snuffling and hunching one shoulder, as if something were scratching him. He was so run down, however, that his mind was not exactly clear. "That's you," he said at last, addressing her. "Wasn't good enough for you, was I? Huh!"”
Hurstwood sees a large poster of Carrie and, in his confused state, speaks to it bitterly, accusing her of thinking he wasn't good enough for her.
This moment underscores Hurstwood's mental decline and his lingering resentment toward Carrie.
“A slow, black boat setting out from the pier at Twenty-seventh Street upon its weekly errand bore, with many others, his nameless body to the Potter's Field.”
Hurstwood's unclaimed body is taken by boat to Potter's Field for burial, alongside other anonymous dead.
This stark image emphasizes the anonymity and finality of Hurstwood's tragic end.
“In your rocking-chair, by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking-chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as you may never feel.”
Carrie is left alone in her comfort, forever longing for a happiness that remains out of reach.
The novel's closing lines reflect Carrie's perpetual dissatisfaction despite her material success.